


Cultural Differences

by starshine (darkwood)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Heraht Adaar - Freeform, Iron Bull is actually THE Iron Bull, Not your Qunari, Qunari qunari
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-30 00:15:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3915997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkwood/pseuds/starshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Iron Bull thinks Adaar, the Herald of Andraste, is just another back-stabbing Tal-Vashoth.</p><p>He really ought to ask before making assumptions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cultural Differences

“Careful there, _Tal-Vashoth,”_ the Iron Bull chuckled, “you almost sound like a real Qunari.”  
  
It wasn’t that anyone was specifically eavesdropping on the Herald in Haven, but she was a hard figure to miss as she passed through the small crowds and went about her daily business in supplying her team. That, and the Iron Bull’s deep voice projected off the wall behind his tent and echoed across the open stretch that lead down to the frozen lake.  
  
Whatever teasing intent the Bull had with his phrase, the answer he got was a fist to the jaw that sent him staggering back into his tent.  
  
The camp went silent.  
  
No one in the camp knew exactly how strong the Herald was, though there were guesses and several wagers out about it after she’d dented the shields in the drill practice lines. Everyone knew how strong the Iron Bull was, though, because he’d made a barely-subtle display of his strength shortly after his arrival by bringing in what he called ‘firewood’. He’d brought in an entire tree, dragged by the roots. If it hadn’t been killed by winter storms some time long before the Inquisition, it would have been useless for anything but posturing at strength.  
  
There was a great roar - of outrage? of anger? - from the Iron Bull, and he charged forward into the Herald, dragging the tent along with him.  
  
No one on the training grounds - from Knight-Captain Rylen down to the recruits with their freshly forged swords and shields - took a breath as the bulk of the Iron Bull toppled the Herald of Andraste down the snowy slope that lead towards the frozen shore of the lake.  
  
The held breath gave a simultaneous exhale as the tent wrapped figure was flipped right back over. The Iron Bull landed with a heavy thump onto his back, dislodging a puff of snow. The Herald - quicker on her feet despite her taller height - rolled to her feet before the bulkier Qunari could get to his.  
  
“I AM NOT _TAL-VASHOTH!”_ the Herald roared as she threw her fist at him. The blow landed squarely across the Bull’s cheek, landing with enough weight behind it to send him staggering to the side.  
  
But the Bull was no recruit training for his first fight. He put one hand out to keep from toppling entirely, regained his footing and turned. He dropped his chin to his chest and shoved.  
  
His head connected with the Herald’s stomach and he gave a mighty toss of it. Caught against his horns, she was flung to the side.  
  
She went down, but rather than an uncontrolled tumble, she tucked and rolled back to her feet.  
  
The Bull followed, faster than the onlookers could believe was possible. The pair of them circled one another, slowly. The Herald struck first, a quick jab that he deflected. He returned with a cross that she ducked.  
  
Recruits, Templars, Master Dennet, the blacksmith and all his attendants came forward at a hurried trot as the blows were exchanged.  
  
“So you’re not one of those murdering bastards, are you? What’s all this then?” Bull huffed, “A display of _self-control?”_  
  
He followed up his question with a swing. It missed, but the follow-through punch connected. The Bull sneered as she went backwards, but his expression went from smug to shocked as she gripped him by the pauldron and yanked him fiercely back with her.  
  
The crowd caught their breath as the two Qunari fell again, only let it out in a sigh as the Bull fell to the side gasping for breath.  
  
The Herald had twisted as she’d fallen, and somehow managed to thrust either fist or elbow or knee into the Bull’s middle. The weight of that fall had cost her as well. She groaned and was slow to sit up.  
  
Once she had, she pushed herself up to her feet.  
  
“You’re… serious about that… aren’t you?” The Iron Bull wheezed out.  
  
“Call me that again, and I’ll send your sword with the next report you send out,” the Inquisitor glowered down at him.  
  
From the position of the crowd, they could not see the way that the Iron Bull’s eyes widened at that phrase, but they did hear him huff out a snort, and then that snort turned into a chuckled, and he said, “Sure thing, boss.”  
  
The Herald nodded grudgingly, and turned to head off.  
  
No one made the mistake of calling the Herald a Tal-Vashoth after that.

**Author's Note:**

> There's a bit of a broken set of information in terms of the Qunari Inquisitor, at least it seems to be to me. Josephine makes a comment about the Herald's former captain, who she references as Tully, and then everything of the personal quests deals with Shokrakar and the Valo-Kas. (And I don't really see the mercs going by nicknames.)
> 
> My Adaar isn't really much of a Tal-Vashoth.
> 
> So that entire dialogue between her and Bull on the Storm Coast was... tense. To say the least.
> 
> It had to come out at some point.


End file.
